The third Wednesday in May (May 15, 2002)

[Darth23]

The week BEFORE the Memorial Day weekend is Lucas/Star Wars time.

There are spy reports at TheForce.net that Star Wars Episode 2: Attack of the Clones will be released May 15. (Kind of like I always expected).

Some (clueless) reports listed the release date as Friday May 17, and there was a lot of speculation that the date might be May 22, 2001. Lucas usually releases his movies on the Wednesday of the week BEFORE the big Memorial Day weekend. In 2002 that would be May 15.

From a box office perspective it makes sense, because the movie can have a big opening day (in the middle of the week), a huge opening weekend, then have a big 4 day holiday weekend. Any movie that's decently popular will only drop a little or maybe even increase in the second weekend.

The 15th seems a little early, but that's because Memorial Day weekend is the 24-27. (Memorial Day is on the Monday the 27th) In 1999 Memorial Day was on the 31st.

[Jedieb]

Wow, that would mark the earliest release date of them all. I can't wait until we get some kind of official word.

[darth_mcbain]

Yeah - exciting news, but I would wait for the official word from the website. As far as I'm concerned, though - the earlier the better (as long as they don't do a shoddy job just to rush to get it released early.)

[Jedi Master Carr]

Well if its true I'm sure Sony won't be happy, its going to lose out some buisness for Spiderman because it opens on the 1st. Sure it should open big but then it only has one more weekend before AOTC and will probably fall short of 200 million because of it.

[ReaperFett]

Some (clueless) reports listed the release date as Friday May 17

If it is May 17th in the end, that line will haunt you :)

[Darth23]

It will be May 15th or (possibly) May 22.

Star Wars will NOT open on a Friday.

I'd bet my Star Wars pez collection on it. :D

[darth_mcbain]

Haven't they all been released on Wednesdays? I wasn't sure - but I thought they were.

[Darth23]

"Haven't they all been released on Wednesdays? "

As Issac Hayes would say:

"Damn Right."

[Mu Satach]

Place yer bets now... Place yer bets now...

[ReaperFett]

Scoreboard has posted in their publication that the official release date for Attack of the Clones is May 17th in wide release. Click the scan for a picture of it, though we'll still await final confirmation from Lucas.

I wonder if some get it the 15th, some the 17th

[Darth23]

I think since an AP(?) report listed it as the 17th, Scoreboard picked it up from there.

Hopefully with all these trailers coming out Fox or Lucasfilm will announce the firm date. Probably a little before LOTR comes out. :p

[Jedi Master Carr]

They might announce it on the next trailer, hopefully and all of this will finally be settled. I'd say its the 15th because it makes sense with Memorial Day falling early this year.

[ReaperFett]

Ha! May 16th! :) (http://www.starwars.com/episode-ii/news/2001/11/news20011112.html)

[Darth23]

Never!

They'll never open it on a Thursday!

:p :p

[JonathanLB]

Yeah, Thursday... whatever. That's pretty retarded. Seriously...

[ReaperFett]

why is it "retarded" as you so elequently put it?

[JonathanLB]

Are you mocking me?! :) I thought that was eloquently stated myself.

Obviously I do not care when they release it because it is going to be awesome so whatever they have decided is great, but Thursday is no day to release a movie. Wednesday is the traditional day for Star Wars films and in breaking tradition they are just asking for trouble somehow. haha. It's TRADITION MAN! I mean, it would be like having a new opening theme and green text instead of yellow or something. Ugg, the idea makes me want to shoot myself. lol.

I can only reason that they said, "Gee, Thursday, this makes sense because last time TPM had a super opening day, a very good Thursday, but the drop was a lot and we can prevent that by just making Thursday the opening day, Friday the first weekend day. Four days, $100 million. WAM." I mean, it'll work... :)

[Darth23]

SO maybe I was wrong about the Wednesday release :eek

I still think they'll move it up a day in North America - so that the rest odf the world doesn't get it first.

I also woudln't be surprised if Mexico and Japan get it earlier than
originally announced.




From Hollywoodreporter.com (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com)

'Clones' attack on May 16 with global campaign


Nov. 14, 2001

By Brian Fuson

The Force is drawing closer: 20th Century Fox and Lucasfilm have said "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" will open Thursday, May 16, in the United States and Canada.

The announcement was made Tuesday on Lucasfilm's Starwars.com Web site, accompanied by a list of anticipated worldwide release dates, the majority of which are May 16 or 17. "It's as close to a worldwide simultaneous release as I have seen," Fox president of domestic distribution Bruce Snyder said.

Although a Thursday opening date is fairly unusual in North America, Snyder said that in many countries, Thursday is the day of choice for releasing films. "In order to make it simultaneous, we decided to do the same in the U.S. and Canada," Snyder said.

The announcement also said that a full teaser trailer for "Attack of the Clones," featuring unseen footage, will play with Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" beginning Friday.

Before the announcement, many industry observers had expected the release to take place during the week preceding Memorial Day, which falls on May 27.

Snyder said May has proved to be a lucrative boxoffice period the past several years, allowing films to get a jump on the summer season, which officially begins Memorial Day weekend.

The first film in the "Star Wars" prequel series, "Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace," also had its debut in mid-May. "Phantom Menace" debuted Wednesday, May 19, 1999, to a record-shattering $28.5 million, the biggest single-day gross in boxoffice history.

During its first weekend in theaters, "Phantom Menace" racked up a sensational $64.8 million and had taken in $105.7 million during its first five days -- an all-time record. It went on to collect $66.9 million the following weekend, which was the four-day Memorial Day frame.

The George Lucas-helmed film took in $431.1 million at the boxoffice by the end of its North American run. Internationally, "Phantom Menace" grossed $494 million, bringing its worldwide total to $925.1 million -- the second-highest of all time. Paramount and Fox's "Titanic" is No. 1 with $1.8 billion in worldwide boxoffice.

[ReaperFett]

you're just jealous that Austraila, Syria and Britain will see it first :)








But seriously, who cares about a few hours? Its hardly as if youll get it spoiled, is it?

[Darth23]

"you're just jealous that Austraila, Syria and Britain will see it first"


I'm not jealous, I'm insulted. :p :p :p

[Jedieb]

Does anyone else think a Thursday release would end up costing AOTC a few million dollars? For no ther reason that it's one less day without competition from upcoming competition. It may not be much, but it is one less day with all those screens to yourself. Think if TPM had been released on a Thursday. That means it would have been #1 one less day before AP2 came out. I just think that we're bound to see it released that Wednesday. Has any major film ever been released on a Thursday?

[Darth23]

Meesa no think so. Maybe a Christmas Thursday.


I don't think Lucas cares that much about Box Office records. Or maybe they care more about Opening Box Office records. :-P

[Champion of the Force]

Yeah, Thursday... whatever. That's pretty retarded. Seriously...
Thursday is usually the main day in Australia for the release of new films. :)

So maybe George did it to please us. :p